Thomas Mein Reed - American or English author?. "Headless Horseman" and other novels

Among the not so numerous works published in Russia written by Mein Reed, the most popular are those in which brave Indians are fighting with pale-faced invaders - White Leader, Quarteronka, In Search of the White Bison, and Osceola, the Leader of the Seminoles . The action of these adventure novels takes place in America. Hence the misconception that the American author wrote them. "The rider without a head" does not break out of the general series, as the Indians are also present there, and the action takes place in Texas. And let the protagonist - an Irishman by birth, but his beloved - one hundred percent American.

By the way, not only courageous Maurice Gerald is a native of the "Emerald Isle". And the author of the book "The Headless Horseman" was born in the Irish village of Ballirononi. He sincerely considered himself Irish, despite the fact that both his parents were pure-blooded Scots. From Ireland, he went in search of adventure over the ocean. There he returned after the end of the Mexican War, in which he took part.

After the marriage, Thomas decides to start making a living by writing, the good thing that his father-in-law has as a publisher. In 1865 the famous "Horseman without a Head" appeared. The author himself did not expect that his book will be so successful. On this wave, he decides to go back to the States and establish his own magazine there. But he is failing. Ironically, Americans perceive the author's new novels not so hotly as he expected and how they deserve it. No, it is read, praised, published and even translated into foreign languages, but it can not repeat the success that the "Headless Horseman" brought to it. The author again returns to England and no longer leaves it. At this time, he writes a lot of popular science books, designed primarily for youth audiences. But do not forget about art books. That's when the historical novel "White Glove" comes out. But all this is not the same, and the author himself knows about it. "Rider without a head" turned out to be an ideal adventure novel, and to repeat such a feat of Mine Reed is not fated. Very interesting about this novel, one of the Russian classics, it seems - Turgenev. Literally quote will not be given, since there is no exact text at hand. But the sense of something like this: "Yesterday finished reading Mein Reed. Well done author. The "Headless Horseman" is such a strong book that an adult, intelligent person watched for several hours without stopping at the actions of fools. "

One can disagree with the classic about the fact that the heroes of the novel are fools, but it is impossible to deny the skill of Mine Reed. And Russian readers quite appreciated it. Paradoxically this may sound, but in Russia, both Mein Reed and his books are more popular than in his homeland. We remember novels, we know who their author is. "Rider without a head" rightfully occupies on the youthful bookshelves an honorable place next to the "Odyssey of Captain Blood", "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Tom Sawyer." And the novel is read not only by boys. A lot of girlish tears spilled on the pages describing the love of Maurice and Louise. Woeful in the middle of the novel, when lovers are separated by people and circumstances, and happy at the end, when loving hearts unite forever.